


Meringue

by pporksodaa



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: APH America - Freeform, Alfred is bad at baking, Germerica - Freeform, Gilbert is mentioned very slightly bc he's also a grandma in a grown man's body, Hetalia, Ludwig is a boss and not so discreetly wows his boyfi with his knowledge, M/M, ameger - Freeform, aph germany - Freeform, but it is also an excuse to write a cute picnic date thank you very much, gerame - Freeform, im a mess, is this an excuse to inject my knowledge of meringues, obligatory mention of george michael bc all i listen to these days is cheesy 80s love songs, perhaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 08:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14973392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pporksodaa/pseuds/pporksodaa
Summary: Ludwig is coming to visit, and Alfred naturally wants to have something nice prepared for his arrival. Ludwig loves sweets and uses lemons for everything, so why not put the two together? Well, a good reason not to would be that Alfred knows zip about baking, so he ends up...not doin' well, but never fear, Ludwig the avid baker and die hard subscriber to Betty Crocker is here! the lover boys share a nice picnic date. thank u.





	Meringue

**Author's Note:**

> :)))) I'm back on my cute domestic fuckshit, ya'll. I hope ya'll enjoy this as much as I did making meringues just hours before this and getting half of the mix on the wall before I got anything salvageable-- also writing it was p cool I guess. aksjdfsfhb. anyway. kudos and ( nice ) comments are appreciated <3

“God  _ damn _ it!”

 

A cookie sheet all but slammed onto the counter, once again filled with unpleasantly browned cookies. Another failure. 

 

Alfred had been at this for  _ hours _ . Each batch of these shitty meringue cookies took half an hour to mix up, then an hour to bake ( or two, depending on which one Alfred decided to try: if the cookies felt too wet, he put them back in for another hour). And each and every time, they ended up a failure. The first one ended up grainy and too damn liquid-y. The next one came out cracked. Another one had too much lemon extract.  _ This one _ was burned. 

 

He was getting more than a little frustrated, rubbing his hands down his face. 

 

Ludwig was going to be arriving at any minute, and Alfred had wanted to have something nice prepared for him. He knew of Ludwig’s sweet tooth and his love for meringue, so naturally he had decided meringue cookies would be a lovely surprise. Maybe he had been a bit ambitious, as he had planned to make a lemon meringue cookie since he knew Ludwig also loved lemons. Thing was, he barely knew how to make a basic box cake without fucking something up-- let alone handle  _ meringue _ from  _ scratch _ . 

 

This was goin’ real shitty. Oh,  _ man _ . 

 

Just as Alfred was tossing the ruined cookies into the trash and becoming aware that he only had enough ingredients for one more try-- his phone began to ring, lighting up with the picture of Ludwig drooling as he slept that served as his boyfriend’s contact photo. Ah, shit. 

 

“Luddi, my baby boy,” Alfred trilled as he answered, even as his panic perking up in the pit of his stomach. 

“Hello, Alfred,” Ludwig greeted. “I have just gotten out of the airport, and I shall be arriving within ten minutes.”

“Oh.” His panic shot up into his throat, thinly veiled as he continued. “Ten minutes? I didn’t realize the airport was that close. Huh.”

“Well, I am taking a taxi, so I am not quite in control of how they navigate traffic. It should be ten minutes, give or take.”

“Right. Okay. Great. I can’t wait to see you!”

“Are you alright, Alfred?”

“Yeah! Uh, yeah, except...well, you’ll see when ya get here, okay? It’s nothin’ crazy. I promise. Don’t worry about it.”

“Well, alright. If you insist. I shall see you soon, dearest.”

Alfred couldn’t help but smile despite the weight of failure on his shoulders. “I love you. Get here soon.”

“Of course. I love you too.”

 

The line went dead, and Alfred heaved a long sigh, tossing his phone aside. Well, Ludwig was coming to the rescue. Ludwig was such a good cook, an even better baker. Not to mention, the guy was a walking set of dividers with how organized he was. Also, Ludwig actually had dividers in his car for some reason. He would know what to do. So for now, Alfred would try to clean up as much as he could before Ludwig got here. That was fine, he could clean . His phone blasted cheesy 80s music he couldn’t escape, and he shuffled through the kitchen with a bottle of cleaning spray and a rag.

 

Just as he had said, Ludwig arrived around ten minutes later. He stepped out of the taxi, getting his things from the trunk and paying the driver his due payment with a quiet ‘thank-you’. Alfred’s call had been a bit worrying. He knew of Alfred’s tendency to be a bit, ah, reckless. The house seemed to be in one piece, there weren’t any police or ambulance cars around. It seemed peaceful enough.

 

He climbed the porch steps in one long-legged motion, stepping into the house and his attention immediately going to the kitchen where he heard George Michael blaring. Ah. If Alfred could listen to Careless Whisper, everything was just fine. He toed his shoes off and left them by the door along with his bags, padding to watch Alfred from the archway, a small smile spreading on his lips. 

 

Alfred was deep into it, using a dirty rubber spatula as his microphone. Only when he swiveled around dramatically did he see Ludwig standing there, watching him. 

 

“Oh, shit! Jesus Meesus, you  _ scared _ me!” He griped, though he broke into a wide smile at the sight of his boyfriend, turning off the music.

“I apologize,” Ludwig said with a soft snort. “I didn’t want to disturb your show.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” Alfred put the spatula into the sink and paced over to him on socked feet. “Kiss?”

 

Ludwig nodded and leaned down a bit to meet him in a soft kiss. One kiss turned to two, and two turned into many more until Alfred had cupped the sides of his face and lips that had been separated by miles upon miles and a great big ocean were warm and familiar once again. Alfred had been using the soap he’d sent, he could smell that much from their proximity. When they parted, Ludwig’s smile had broadened until it reached his eyes. 

 

“Your kitchen is a mess,” he said softly after the few long moments they spent standing there, foreheads pressed together and hands clasping together between them.

Alfred blinked and flushed, clearing his throat and stepping back. Right. “Oh, yeah...about that,” he started, wringing his hands. “I wanted to make you somethin’ nice since you’re comin’ over after so long. I know ya like sweets and lemons, so I was gonna make ya lemon meringue cookies. But I...I’m hopeless when it comes to baking, you know that.”

Ludwig tilted his head, eyebrows perking up high on his forehead. “Lemon meringues? Oh, Al, that’s so sweet,” he said, looking past him into the kitchen again. “It doesn’t seem to have turned out well, but I can surely help you make a new batch. We can do it together, yes?”

Alfred perked up as well, smiling wide. “You’re not too tired?” He asked. “It was a long flight!”

“I wouldn't mind at all. It was, but I won’t be tired for a few hours. Plenty of time. Now, come, come. Meringues are my specialty! First, I should clean.”

 

Alfred was glad to help where he could with the cleaning, but Ludwig always preferred to do things like that by himself. It wasn’t anything rude or mean-spirited or to say that Alfred wasn’t capable, it was just a bad anxiety thing. Ludwig needed things to be clean and in place, and it was just easier for him to do it by himself. Alfred had come to understand that, especially in the kitchen. Instead, he just sat at the island and told Ludwig all that had gone wrong previously.

 

Once everything was clean, Ludwig grabbed an apron and tied it on, washing his hands. “It sounds like to me that you did not do well with the mix in the first place. You must add the sugar in very small increments, mix on high until it is entirely incorporated. To make sure, gather a bit between your fingers and rub. If it is smooth, you can add more. If it is gritty, continue mixing. Did it say any of this in the recipe?”

Alfred listened, watching him with a smile. “Huh? Uhh, I don’t think so. I just found the recipe on some blog. Very simple instructions, ya know?”

“Mm! They should take it down then. Also, you should use this whisk attachment for your stand mixer instead. The point of meringue is to whip air into it, so it is light and fluffy. The more movement, the more air. First, we will get the egg whites. It is best to crack eggs on a flat surface, did you know that?”

“I didn’t.” Ludwig had probably told him that a million times, but Alfred always forgot.

 

He watched Ludwig explain the steps as he went along, drinking in every word. Ludwig was so excited. What a cutie. It was one of the things about Ludwig that he absolutely adored. Ludwig just had a sophistication and patience about him. Even when he was excited about his hobbies, like this, he took the time to be careful and precise. 

 

“-stiff peaks! When you lift the attachment out, the peaks should come out absolutely stiff and shiny and glossy. If done properly…” Ludwig removed the bowl from the mixer, went over to Alfred, and flipped it completely upside down over the American’s head. 

“Hey!” Alfred cried, fully expecting a heavy plop to follow. Except nothing happened. His eyes went up to see a lemony cloud sitting still in the bowl above him. Oh!

“If done properly, it should stay in the bowl just like this and not come out,” Ludwig said with a sudden grin.

Alfred gave a soft scoff. Oh! Like they did at Dairy Queen. Except, he was  _ expecting _ that to happen at a Dairy Queen. “You gave me a heart attack, ya know that?” He grumbled with an enamored shake of his head.

“Good. Anyhow, see how the mix has increased in volume and shines in the light? It is quite ready now. You must bake them immediately or the meringue will collapse and become too sticky and wet. Can you cover that cookie sheet with parchment paper, please?”

“On it!” Alfred jumped from his seat and dutifully went to do so while Ludwig grabbed a cup and a gallon ziplock back.

 

Moments later, Alfred pushed the cookie sheet over to Ludwig, and Ludwig proceeded to pipe the cookies onto them. Alfred watched in fascination as Ludwig’s strong hands applied gentle and steady pressure to the bag. Beautiful swirls built cookie after cookie, each in perfect proportion to the last, lined perfectly in pale yellow bulbs. Those hands moved in delicate motions, practiced and cautious. The cookies already looked multitudes better than anything Alfred had ever done. Dang. That was to be expected from someone like Ludwig. 

 

After Ludwig had run out of mix, he put the cookies into the oven. “Now, we must not open the oven a single time. Should we need to check on them, we can turn on the light and look in, yes? They will cook on a low temperature for an hour, then they will rest in there for another hour or two,” he explained, setting a timer on his watch then turning to finish the rest of the dishes. 

Alfred clicked his tongue, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “Maybe I shoulda made somethin’ quicker,” he said in a soft sigh. “Well, that’s plenty of time for  _ you  _ to nap, baby boy.”

“Nap? I told you, I’m not tired yet. I will sleep this evening. Besides...it is a nice day, we should prepare a lunch,” Ludwig suggested with a small shrug, wiping his hands then putting the promise ring Alfred had gifted him long ago back on. Sometimes, he was mistaken for a married man, but...it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Maybe one day he wouldn’t have to awkwardly mutter that no, he wasn’t married. One day, he’d be able to awkwardly mutter that  _ yes _ , he  _ was _ married. One day. “We can perhaps eat in the backyard or go to the park for a picnic, hm?”

“Oh, man, that sounds great! What should we make, what should we make?” Alfred gasped, more than a little excited about the prospect of spending a lunch date with Ludwig in the tender sun of Spring. He clapped his hands together, cheesing the biggest smile he could manage until Ludwig chuckled and shook his head.

“I love you,” Ludwig told him shortly before they shared their own batch of sweet kisses.

 

They’d definitely go to the park; Ludwig looked so pretty among all the flowers that blossomed there. Sometimes, Alfred picked some and gave them to Ludwig, tucking them into his ear and pockets. And when they were apart, he often called over to have flowers delivered to Ludwig’s home just to let Ludwig know he was being thought of. He did it even more after he found out that Ludwig pressed every flower Alfred gave him and pasted them into journals, pinned them up on his walls, and placed them in cute little glass bottles with preserving liquids. Ludwig was just the cutest grandma trapped in a nearly 6 foot grown man’s body, wasn’t he?

 

Together, they went through some recipes on Ludwig’s Pinterest, discussing what they should make. In the end, they decided upon cheese cubes, hummus and veggies that Ludwig would prepare here, the little sandwich squares Alfred adored, these cookies, and some wine. While Ludwig prepared the food, Alfred went off to gather the picnic supplies. 

 

The nice, wide quilt that Gilbert had made for them and was deemed The Picnic Quilt, check. Wicker basket that Ludwig had gotten from some farmer’s market, check. Utensils, check. Napkins and wet wipes, check. Bug spray, check. Sunscreen for Ludwig, check. Small shears to nab whatever flowers were around, check. Charged phone, check. Perfect. He left the house briefly to go pick up the cheese and wine, returning with cheese, wine, and Ludwig’s favorite chocolate. Second favorite, if you counted Alfred. Which Alfred definitely counted himself in as Ludwig’s favorite chocolate. It was a little funny because he used a chocolate scented soap Ludwig had sent for him, and he smelled like a warm cup of cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg and cream following him all the time now. 

 

He presented the bar of dark cocoa to Ludwig and received a kiss in return, which left him with a dumb smile full of teeth and crinkled eyes. 

 

The cookies turned out great, which was no surprise at all. Crisp on the outside, pleasantly soft on the inside, with a lemon flavor that was subtle but tasty.  _ Dang _ . Ludwig had done it again! And now Alfred was a baker’s dozen cookies more in love with him. 

 

Everything was packed and prepared and they headed out. Sure enough, upon arrival, Alfred found the bushels of anemone that grew at the park entrance and snipped a few. He returned to Ludwig’s side with them and tucked one on each of Ludwig’s ears, adding blossoms of pink that softened the sharp features of his face and paleness of his skin. Ludwig was always dashing in blush tones, wasn’t he?

 

They found a nice, quiet place to settle, spreading out the blanket near a tree to have a bit of shade but not too far out of the sun. The shoes were off soon after, and Ludwig sat to assemble their meal while Alfred went around the area near where they were to find more flowers. Soft, lush, green grass squished between his toes, tickling the bottoms of his feet as he moved along leisurely. A breeze blew past, cool and full of nature, the sound of children enjoying themselves in the distance. When he raised his eyes to clear blue sky, he saw kites rise into his sight, drifting in the figures of fish, superheroes, and good ol’ diamond-shapes. Dogs barked. People were laughing. 

 

When Alfred turned around, he saw Ludwig snacking on that chocolate and chuckled to himself. “Hey, cutie!” He called in a croon, catching Ludwig’s attention. “You’re gonna spoil your lunch!”

 

Ludwig flushed a bit and finished the piece he was on, putting the rest away. “Well, come on, then!” he called back. “I am very hungry!” 

 

If Alfred was someone else, he would have missed the whine in Ludwig’s voice. But he didn’t, his smile widening as he conceded and returned to their picnic spot and shared lunch and a glass of wine with the love of his life. 

 

After they had eaten, they laid back and just talked. A lot of lonely time had passed since they had last seen each other face to face; there was lots to talk about that letters didn’t always hold up well. An hour or two passed, and Alfred was talking about a curious encounter he’d had with a neighborhood dog when he noticed Ludwig had fallen asleep. 

 

Ludwig was on his side, head resting on one arm and the other hand tucked beneath his cheek. He was drooling, and right on cue as Alfred looked at him, he began to snore softly. 

 

Alfred couldn’t help but chuckle, covering his mouth as to not disturb the sleeping beauty. He leaned and pressed a tender kiss to Ludwig’s forehead then stood, gathering some more flowers, tucking them here and there. A modern Snow White. Sunlight caught on pale blonde eyelashes, thick like a forest of gold. 

 

Incredible.

 

After admiring his handiwork for a while, stroking his thumb over Ludwig’s cheekbone and along his jaw, counting the familiar breaths, he gently coaxed Ludwig awake and took him home where they napped together on the couch. 


End file.
